Epilogue - Page 2
DeAnna Zankich
Sequel to | Down All the Years, Down All the Days
Summary: This story takes place three months ahead in my "Tenant" time line and after ep. 122 in the US series timeline. Basically, this takes place somewhere around the end of August.
Warnings: None
Author Notes: THIS STORY IS SET IN NEW YORK CITY BUT CONTAINS NO DISASTER CONTENT.
Spoilers: None
After dinner, the four of them lounged around on the big white sectional couch in Kate and Richard's living room listening to the new Sade CD. Justin was on his third martini and he was very buzzed but he kept it to himself. Sitting quietly while he watched Brian interact with his friends, he tried not to think too much about that Irish guy.
They were there--Stuart and Vince--in New York. Kate said so during dinner. They were staying not far away at a fancy hotel. Brian had told him the Brits weren't staying with Kate because of the tension between him and Stuart. That piece of information had not sat well with Justin, but he knew he couldn't say anything. His relationship with Brian was still mostly mysterious to him and he didn't want to lift the lid on any dark surprises just yet. Justin was happy with the way it was going for the time being and he'd learned long ago--where Brian Kinney is concerned, the less said the better.
Kate was telling a story about someone at her office that Brian also knew and while she talked, Richard got up and went over to table along the living room wall. Opening a drawer inside, he rifled the contents for a moment then brought a few things over to Justin.
"I was thinking since you'll be on your own while Brian and Kate are at the forum, you might benefit from having a subway map," Richard said. He sat beside Justin and handed him a colorful, fold out map of the entire New York subway system. Richard had also given him a tourist guide to the museums, showing each of their hours and admission costs.
"This is so cool of you, Richard. Thanks." Justin opened the museum guide and scanned for the Met, pleased to see that doors opened at 9:30. He planned to be the first in line. "I can't wait to see the Met Museum," he said.
"You should go up to The Cloisters, too," Richard said, turning the guide over to show some of the museums on the outskirts of town. "It's an extension of the Met that has mostly medieval art. It's a really nice location, too. You'll enjoy it. Your admission price for the Met will include The Cloisters. Try and make as much time as you can for the Guggenheim, as well. You won't be disappointed."
Justin glanced at the information on the Guggenheim. "I'm really glad I have two days."
"Yes," Richard agreed. "But you'd be better off with three. Now, the subway is really easy to navigate and every New Yorker I know carries this map. You should be fine."
"Or you can take cabs everywhere," Brian interjected. "If you don't feel like hassling with the subway."
Justin looked at him across the large but still warm room and smiled. "I'll be okay in the subway. It'll be an adventure."
Brian shrugged, trying to act like he hadn't just exposed his protective side. "Whatever you want to do." He looked away, reaching for his martini glass on the coffee table.
Kate caught Justin's eye and she winked, letting him know Brian hadn't got away with hiding anything.
"And what are you going to do while we're at the forum, Richard?" Brian asked, trying to take the focus off himself.
"I was actually going to see if Vince wanted a tour guide," Richard said. "I'm sure he'll be fine on his own, but it's always more fun to see a new city with someone who lives there."
Justin watched Brian's face closely, looking for any fluctuation in his expression upon hearing Vince's name. Like he always did, Brian maintained a perfect poker face and showed nothing of what he was feeling. But Justin was beginning to learn the subtle language of his lover's body. He could tell when Brian went into self-protection mode and when he wanted affection but couldn't ask for it. He could tell when Brian wanted to be alone and he could tell when he needed a good laugh. Justin wasn't sure how he could tell these things, but he knew he could. His understanding of Brian Kinney was coming not by direct lessons, but by osmosis.
"Well, Vince loves food," Brian said quietly. His softly melancholy tone made them all look at him. "So, take him somewhere great for lunch."
"I'll do that," Richard said.
Once again, Kate and Justin looked at each other and that time she offered a sweet, consoling smile. Justin sighed and looked back down at the museum guide.
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Vince:
They were on the Stephanis front porch for almost a full minute before he noticed the security camera. He squinted into it just as the front door opened and Kate was laughing as she threw her arms around Stuart's neck.
"Vince, you are so cute!"
"Wha'?" he said, totally confused.
"On the camera," she said, stepping up to him for a hug. "And I LOVE your hair like this! It's very sexy."
"Cheers. Nice to see you, luv."
"I'm so glad you guys are here." She hugged Stuart again and then led them into the large house. "What's this?" she said, turning around to touch the closely trimmed goatee on Stuart's face. "Facial hair?"
"You don't like it?" he asked scrubbing it with his fingers.
"It's different," she said. "I'll have to get used to it." Kate squinted at her friend for a moment longer then touched the neat beard again. "At least it's soft."
Stuart flashed his eyes at Vince. "That's the point."
Kate rolled her eyes. "God, it's always about sex with you two! Speaking of that, TELL me you didn't forget your honeymoon pictures--cuz I swear I'll send you back to Manchester to get them."
Vince patted his jacket pocket and smiled at her.
"Good," she said. "I hope you guys are hungry, Richard's cooking enough food for twenty people." She took Stuart's hand and led them both through the large, echoey entryway and down to the kitchen.
Vince tried to keep his jaw closed as he looked around at the huge house. From the street it didn't look anywhere near as big as it was and he was amazed at the creative architecture. The townhouse went up three stories, the third being a generous loft that he could see was arranged as a home office. The second floor overlooked the first via a delicate banister and appeared to have at least five bedrooms. As they passed the living room, he caught a flash of greenery through the wall of windows beyond the white, sectional couch. The back garden was clearly not that big, but it was filled with perfectly manicured plants and flowers.
"Blimey," he said. "Kate, your house is lovely. And bloody huge."
"Oh, thanks, honey. I'll give you a real tour after we eat." She smiled over her shoulder at him. "I'm afraid we're on our own. Justin--that's Brian's boyfriend--got a very early start on the museums and Brian is still asleep."
Vince smiled but inside he felt a deep tug at the mention of Brian's name. Not only was the American in New York, but he was also in that house somewhere . . . asleep and most likely naked. He took one last look up at all the closed doors on the second floor as they stepped into the sunny, beautifully appointed dining room.
Through a batwing door they could see Richard in the large kitchen. He was dressed in jeans, a short-sleeved shirt and a white apron that had the phrase "French the Cook" printed on the front in big red letters. Standing in front of a six-burner stove, he tossed fresh herbs into a sizzling pan and looked to be having a wonderful time.
"They're here!" Kate sang.
"Oh, great!" Richard moved the pan off the heat for a moment and came out to the dining room to greet their guests. "Welcome to New York!" he said, giving them each a big hug. "My God, you both look totally different. It's only been three months!"
"I know," his wife concurred. "Vince looks like a rock star and Stuart looks like a biker."
"Fuck off, woman," Stuart said grinning.
Richard laughed. "You both look very well. It looks like married life agrees with you. Please, sit down. Would you both like coffee?"
"Yes, please," Vince said, taking off his jacket and sitting down at the large table. He glanced up at the painting hanging on the wall above the fireplace. It was a Monet and he was fairly certain it was an original. From where he sat, he could actually see the brush strokes on the water lilies.
Stuart took off his own jacket and hung it on the back of a chair beside Vince, but he didn't sit down. Kate went into the kitchen after Richard and Stuart called to her. "Is it all right if I go up for a minute?" he said.
Vince looked up at him with his eyebrows raised. "Shouldn't you be asking ME that?"
Stuart smirked and ran his fingers through Vince's long bangs. "You're not going to say no, are you?" he cooed.
Kate stuck her head back out into the dining room. "I don't mind if Vince doesn't mind," she said and gave Vince a wink.
"I just want to say hello," Stuart continued, whispering to his lover seductively.
"You can't wait `til he comes down?"
Again, those sapphire eyes flashed with mischief and lust. "Viiiinnncce . . . I promise I'll be good."
Laughing, Vince shook his head. "You've got five minutes, luv. If you're gone one second longer, I'm coming up with a pitcher of ice water and a chain saw."
Stuart chuckled and bent over to give Vince a soft kiss. "Come up with me if you really don't trust me."
"No," Vince said stoically. "I'm going to leave you to your own good conscience. Behave, Stuart."
He stole one more hot little kiss before making his way around the large table. "Back in five minutes," he called to their hosts.
Kate brought a pot of coffee into the dining room and glanced warily at Vince. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Absolutely not," he said. "But I can't keep them apart forever. The sooner they see each other, the sooner they'll start to get over it." He reached for the elegant white ceramic cream pitcher on the table and poured some into his cup.
Kate poured coffee over the cream with her lips pursed. "Have they spoken to each other at all since the wedding?"
"You'd know better than I would, I'm afraid," he said.
She shook her head. "Not necessarily. Neither of them have said a word to me about the other since you guys came back from your honeymoon."
Vince nodded thoughtfully. "Well, then I reckon neither of us know for sure."
She poured herself a cup of coffee as Richard clattered pans in the kitchen. Delicious smells of cooking eggs and frying bacon filled the dining room. Kate sat down and looked across the table at him directly.
"Have you got a gut feeling?" she said.
Stirring his coffee with a fine silver spoon, Vince offered a rueful smile. "I've been keeping him right busy," he said. "If he has been chatting up Brian on the side, then he's had to be clever about it."
"So, you think not."
"I think not, yeah." He set the spoon down and took a sip of the fresh coffee. "And if I'm lucky, their reaction to each other will be out of sight, out of mind."
Kate lowered her chin incredulously. "Vince, you don't really believe that, do you?"
He breathed a laugh. "No. But it sounded good." He sipped his coffee again and looked toward the dining room door through which his partner had just disappeared. Glancing at his watch, he noted the time. 9:11.
If Stuart hadn't returned by 9:16, Vince was going up there.
Stuart:
Even without asking, he knew which room Brian would be sleeping in. When he stepped up on the landing and faced all those closed doors, Stuart just knew which one to approach. It was as though he could feel Brian's pulse reaching out to him.
Standing in front of the guest room door nearest to Kate and Richard's bedroom, he held his breath and listened for a moment. No sound from inside, no stirring or movement of any kind. Brian was still asleep. Stuart turned the knob slowly and pushed open the door just enough to get his head inside.
The heavy curtains blocked out the morning light almost entirely, but there was enough illumination to see the bed. Brian Kinney laid on his side with a sheet drawn over his lean hip, the curve of his long legs a tantalizing silhouette beneath. His smooth torso was exposed to the warm room and his nicely rippled belly rose and fell with is even breathing. Stuart could smell Brian in the quiet air and his cock stirred. He licked his lips.
Slipping into the room, he left the door half open and crept onto the bed right beside Brian. Lying on his belly, Stuart rested his head on the same pillow and very softly brushed the tip of his nose against Brian's. His mouth flooded with saliva and he swallowed, literally dying to taste those perfect lips--so close to him, warm and parted in relaxation. For the time being, he had to be content with the soft nuzzling. He wanted Brian to wake up slowly and with a nice, tingling hard-on.
Stuart fluttered his eyelashes against Brian's cheek, feeling him stir very slightly. The handsome American sighed and shifted on the mattress, instinctively drawing closer to the source of the tempting pleasure. He nuzzled back, inhaling and exhaling, his senses subconsciously registering the lover before him. Stuart couldn't help but smile. He knew Brian was aware of his proximity, even if that awareness was purely subliminal.
Unable to resist, Stuart licked Brian's plump bottom lip with the tip of his tongue. Next thing he knew, they were kissing languidly and Brian's body curled gently against him. After a few soft little kisses, Brian's pretty hazel-green eyes fluttered open and they looked at each other.
"Hey," he said, clearing his throat. But Brian didn't move.
"Hiya," Stuart whispered. "All right?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Good, yeah." Stuart stayed where he was, also, drinking in the delicious scent of Brian's body. "Where's your little boy lover?"
"He left already. Wanted to be first in line to get into the Met Museum. Is Vince here?"
"Downstairs."
Brian's brow lifted. "And he let you come up here alone?"
"Not happily, mind you," Stuart said smiling. "He only gave me five minutes."
Smirking sexily, Brian said "we could do a shitload of damage in five minutes."
Stuart rose up on his elbows and propped up his head. "Yeah. Best we should just talk, I think."
They looked at each other for a long time, eyes passing over the other's face, learning the new changes, remembering the little details.
"You've got a beard," Brian pointed out.
"You cut your hair short."
"It grows fast." He reached out and touched the soft manicured goatee on Stuart's face, tracing the hairs with the pad of his finger.
When Brian's finger crossed his lips Stuart shivered and smiled wickedly. "Easy, now . . ."
The American laughed deep in his throat and the sound was rough with sleep. "You look fucking great. And you smell . . ." He leaned forward and tucked his nose into the bend of Stuart's neck, breathing in deeply.
Without even thinking about it, he reached down and stroked Brian's exposed belly, his fingers tracing the soft line of hair down to his slightly coarser pubic hair. His fingers slid around that hot, swollen cock and held onto it possessively, giving it a gentle tug just to feel its weight.
"How much time do we have?" Brian purred against Stuart's ear.
"None at all," Vince said from the doorway.
Stuart's heart thudded and he looked up at his lover a bit sheepishly. "That was five minutes already?"
Vince walked over and sat down on the foot of Brian's bed, tickling the American's naked foot with his fingers. "Hiya," he said. "You bastard."
Brian laughed and rolled onto his back. His beautiful erection tented the sheet as it reached up his belly invitingly. "How ya doin', Vince. Your hair looks excellent like that."
"Ta. I'm fine. How are you?"
Brian nodded. "Good. Keeping busy." His hazel eyes glinted with naughtiness as he shifted on the bed to better display his hard cock. "Married life is good, I take it. You both look healthy and well-fucked."
"Mm," Vince agreed. "Very well, thanks."
Stuart watched Vince's eyes pass over Brian's prone body and stop on his swollen cock. Brian moved the sheet away swiftly, exposing his prize manhood for them both to enjoy. Vince grinned and stood up again, reaching out for Stuart's hand.
"Get up, luv. Off the bed."
Stuart groaned miserably.
"Come on," Vince insisted. "Brian's being bad."
With enormous reluctance, Stuart dragged himself off the bed and away from the heat of Brian's beautiful, naked body. He stepped into Vince's embrace and pressed against him. "God, can I please kiss it . . .just one taste. I promise I'll behave. I just want to lick it one time . . ."
"No . . ." Vince said, but his resolve was weakening. He kept his eyes on Brian's body over Stuart's shoulder.
"Pleeeeeeeaaase," Stuart purred. "Not even a full blow job, just a lick . . ."
For a moment Vince said nothing and Brian chuckled softly.
"Bastard," Vince said but he was fighting a smile. "Gorgeous, bloody bastard." He held on to Stuart's hand and looked in his eyes soberly. "Just a taste, luv. I'm hanging on to your hand."
Stuart's dark eyes were glassy with impatient lust and he licked his lips. Kneeling on the mattress, he held Vince's hand and bent over Brian's hips. He could smell the musky warmth of that erect cock and he had to swallow the saliva in his mouth again to keep from drooling. Extending his tongue, he ran the wet tip up into the hot, salty slit of Brian's cockhead. He felt the huge organ tremble beneath the soft lick and then Stuart tasted warm liquid salt as Brian pumped pre-come into his mouth. He kissed the throbbing head once and licked it again, feeling his own cock swell painfully in his trousers.
Vince pulled him by the hand and straightened him up. "All right, then. That's enough. Let's go down to breakfast now."
Stuart staggered against his partner for a moment, feeling lightheaded and faint. He stuck his tongue into Vince's mouth and let him taste Brian's musk, then they kissed wetly, exchanging it back and forth.
"Breakfast will keep," Brian murmured. "Come here, you two . . . for old times' sake."
Stuart was completely ready to just drop back into that bed but Vince held onto him with his hands firmly clasping his hips.
"No," he said sternly. "We're not doing that." He looked in Stuart's eyes, searching them for the clear thoughts he knew were in there. "Come on, luv. We're going back downstairs to have breakfast with Kate and Richard. Take a deep breath."
Stuart swooned slightly but he took that breath. And then he took another and another. After a moment, he felt somewhat composed but he still leaned against Vince for support. "I . . . forgot how lovely he was . . ." he explained.
"Mm," Vince grunted. "I didn't. Let's go." He was still smirking at Brian and Brian was still chuckling softly as Vince drew Stuart toward the bedroom door. "Are you coming down to eat?" he called back.
Brian sighed and stretched out on the bed like a panther waking from a nap and then he spread his legs just enough to reach down and grasp his balls. "I'll be down in a minute. Your husband gave me a boner and I have to get off first." He began a slow, even stroking of that big, hard cock and Stuart all but stumbled out of the room.
If he didn't get out of there immediately, he knew he wasn't going to leave at all.
Brian:
About half an hour later, he came down to the dining room dressed in jeans and a fluffy gray turtleneck. He hadn't bothered to blow dry his hair, just rubbed it with a towel and ran his fingers through it. When it was that short, it didn't need much fussing.
Kate and Richard sat across from Stuart and Vince at the large dining room table, chatting and laughing and finishing their breakfast. Richard had gone all out with omelets and crepes and prettily arranged sliced fruit. Brian's mouth watered at the smell of the coffee and food and he flopped down in a chair at the head of the table--between Kate and Stuart.
"Good morning," Richard said brightly. He passed the coffee pot to Brian who filled the clean cup in front of him. "Are you hungry?"
"A little," he said, reaching for a thin crepe on a plate in the middle of the table. He rolled it up and took a bite of it. "Mmm. Nice. Everything smells great."
"I'll make you an omelet," Richard said. "What do you want in it? We've got four kinds of cheese and some ham, salami, turkey. Veggies." He got up and started for the kitchen, but Brian stopped him.
"I don't want to make you cook again. I'll just pick at the stuff on the table. Sit down."
Richard ruffled his guest's damp hair as he passed. "Make me cook. Please. I never get to cook. What would you like, my boy?" He went into kitchen and rattled some more pans.
"Whatever's easy," Brian said and he felt Stuart's foot nudge his under the table. "Ham and cheese sounds great."
"Comin' up," Richard said from the kitchen.
Kate and Vince had been discussing some recent world events and as soon as Richard was busy cooking, they returned to their conversation. Brian and Stuart locked eyes as they sipped their coffee and Stuart's foot teased Brian's bare toes under the table.
Leaning forward just enough to whisper, Stuart said "nice wank?"
Brian grinned and bit his full bottom lip. "It did the trick," he returned. "Would have been much nicer if you'd done it."
"Eh hem," Kate said. When they looked at her she was brandishing a glass of ice water. "Don't make me use this, boys."
Brian and Stuart both giggled.
Kate sighed and shook her head. "Incorrigible beasts, both of you. I'm sitting between you at the forum lectures. I have to protect you from each other."
"It's your fault we even know each other!" Stuart said, winking at her.
Brian had tucked his cell phone into the back pocket of his jeans and presently it rang. He flipped open the mouthpiece, saw Justin's name in the display and brought the device to his ear. "Hey."
"Hey. You're finally awake." The sound of birds chirping was the major background noise behind the call.
"I thought you were at the Met."
"I was, now I'm having something to eat in Central Park," Justin reported. "It's amazing here. This park is huge."
"What are you eating?" Brian said, flirting.
Justin snickered playfully. "An authentic New York hot dog. Want to know what I'm thinking about when I bite into it?"
Brian breathed a laugh. "Tell me later. Are you going to be gone all day?"
"I thought I'd go up to The Cloisters this afternoon and then I'll come back do the rest of the main building tomorrow. Sunday will be all about the Guggenheim. Do you want me to come back?"
He hesitated. "I don't want to interfere with your museum crawl," he said.
"But . . . you want me to come back," Justin finished.
"I want you to meet Stuart and Vince."
The blonde didn't reply for a long time--so long that Brian thought the connection might have dropped off. "Justin?"
"Yeah," he said, chewing. "I don't know, Brian. I'm really weirded out about meeting them. Especially Stuart. That's pretty much why I bailed this morning."
Looking down into his coffee, Brian tried not to let the others at the table see his frown. He wasn't sure how he felt about what Justin had just said but he knew it upset him. For several reasons. "Fine," he said, too crisply. "Then stay at the museum. Don't do me any favors."
Justin sighed. "Oh, all right. God, you are such a baby sometimes. I'll be back in a bit."
"Don't," he said, meaning it. "Really. Just do what you want and I'll see you later." He hung up and slipped the phone back in his pocket. Picking up his coffee, he was keenly aware of everyone at the table watching him.
"He's freaked out about meeting the boys," Kate said softly. "He told me that this morning. I only saw him for a few minutes as he was leaving, but he said . . . he was especially nervous about meeting Stuart."
Brian looked at her briefly, then glanced over at the dark-haired Irishman. "I guess I don't blame him. He's been through a lot the last few months."
"You both have," Kate said, cupping Brian's hand gently.
He laced his fingers with hers but it was a small gesture, one only Kate would notice. Thinking about the extremely unpleasant events of the last three months was not the way Brian had planned to spend his morning. He set his cup down and tried a little smile. "He'll be back, anyway."
Kate flicked him in the arm. "Maybe not, bucko. Maybe he'll just go back to the museum and blow you and your little temper tantrum off."
"I didn't have a tantrum," Brian protested and then he realized Vince was chuckling. Brian stuck his tongue out at the Englishman.
Stuart reached for the coffee pot and refilled Vince's cup, then his own. "Well, he doesn't have to meet us if he doesn't want to. I don't blame him for being apprehensive."
Brian glanced at Vince and they seemed to exchange thoughts for a moment. He could tell Vince was anxious about him being so near to Stuart for so many days, but Brian knew there was no real danger. Not from him, anyway. If Stuart instigated that was another thing, but Brian had no real intention of getting between them. Not unless Vince wanted to make a sandwich out of him again. That situation was one Brian would never refuse.
"Well, he'll meet you guys at dinner regardless," Brian said. "We are still going out tonight, right?"
"Definitely," Kate said. "Today we go sight-seeing and tonight we dine someplace fabulous. Justin will have to join us."
"He will," Brian said, hoping his sense of doubt wasn't obvious.
Richard came out of the kitchen and put a plate down in front of Brian. On it was a scrumptious looking Denver omelet with fresh green onions and a little pile of home fried potatoes.
"God," Brian said. "Thank you. That looks great."
"My pleasure," Richard said. "In fact, I used an omelet pan we got for our wedding that I had never even taken out of the box."
Kate rolled her eyes. "It's a good thing he's not home that much. I'd weigh four hundred pounds." She looked up at her husband as he stood behind her chair. "We were just talking about our youngest guest's reluctance to meet Stuart," she informed him.
"Ah," Richard said. "This IS a tangled web, my dear. Just like you like it."
Kate scowled at her husband and they all laughed.
"Meanie," she said, tickling his belly.
Richard cradled her chin in his hand and kissed her.
Brian took a bite of his breakfast and complimented the chef. Under the table, Stuart's foot nudged his again very gently. It might even have been a mistake, but Brian didn't think so. Glancing over at the two handsome Brits he found them both looking at him.
On the soft linen tablecloth their hands were clasped and they were playing with each other's fingers.
Stuart:
He and Vince sat on the couch while Kate went upstairs for her handbag. Brian and Richard were in the kitchen clearing up the breakfast dishes and having a lively conversation about the stock market. Stuart laid down and rested his head in Vince's lap, indicating he wished to have his hair touched.
Vince's fingers crept softly into the curls at the back of his neck and pet them with teasing slowness. "You're very naughty, Stuart," he said.
"I know . . ." Stuart sighed.
"I should be angry with you."
"Should you?" He kissed the inside of Vince's thigh through his black jeans.
Vince breathed a laugh. "You're impossible."
"Yes . . ." He looked up at his boyish lover. "I am. Now, are we shaggin' him, or what?"
"We're not," Vince said without hesitation.
Stuart groaned. "Why nooooooottt?"
"You know why not. He's got a lover now. Just leave him be, Stuart. If you need more sex, I'll take you upstairs right now and shag you legless. Otherwise, I want you to behave. Brian's going through a lot at the moment. If you really care for him, be a friend to him and leave him to it."
Sighing, Stuart sat up again, draping one leg over Vince's lap. "You're no fun at all," he teased.
Vince took hold of Stuart's shirt and tugged him forward until their lips touched. The kiss was brief but warm and sensual.
"I'm no fun, eh? So, you're saying you want that shag, then?"
Stuart grinned. "I always want that shag. But we'll have to do it later." He nibbled Vince's bottom lip then kissed him again, just as he heard Kate coming down the stairs behind them.
"Okay, let's go," she sang. "Are we driving or cabbing?"
"Whatever you want," Stuart said. "We're passengers either way."
"Right." Kate turned toward the dining room as Brian and Richard emerged, still chattering away about the market. "Car or cab?" she asked her husband.
"Car," Richard said. "I'll get the keys."
Brian walked over to the couch and sat down near where Kate stood. Reaching up, he took her hand and spoke softly to her. "I'm not going."
"Why?" she asked, frowning.
"I've seen New York. I have a headache. I'm just not into it."
"Tch. Brian, don't be a baby. Just come with us."
He shook his head definitively. "I'll just see you at dinner. Call me and let me know where we should meet you. You don't mind if I stay here, do you?"
"Of course I don't mind," Kate said. "You're our guest, you're welcome to anything here. I just wanted you to come sightseeing with us. It'll be fun." She stuck out her bottom lip, pouting. "Change your mind."
Again, he shook his head.
"Brian, don't be such a twat," Stuart said, waiting for the inevitable reaction from the Americans.
Simultaneously they shot him a disapproving look.
"Stuey, don't SAY that word!" Kate scolded. "I keep telling you."
He chuckled. "Sorry, I forgot. Come on," he said to Brian. "Just come with us."
"I don't want to," Brian said. He got up and gave Kate a kiss on the forehead. "Have fun. Call me about dinner." Turning toward the stairs, he trotted up the thickly carpeted steps and disappeared into the guest room.
Kate sighed. "Such a fucking princess, that one. All right, fine. Let's go. Vince, it's up to you. What would you like to see first?"
"Blimey, I dunno. There are so many things . . . er, Wall Street?"
"Great," she said smiling. "There's some fab places for lunch down there."
Richard returned with his keys and sunglasses, a nice brown leather jacket slung over his shoulder. "Where's Bri?" he asked.
"Pouting," Kate replied. "He'd rather stay here and sulk."
Richard frowned. "Want me to talk to him?"
"Nah. He won't be any fun, anyway. Let him stay here and brood over his little blonde."
He shrugged. "Just as well. We'll be more comfortable in the car with four. Are we ready?"
Stuart got off the couch and reached back for Vince's hand, gently helping him to his feet. They followed Kate and Richard out the side door to the garage where Richard's new Audi was parked. As they filed in and put on their safety belts, Stuart couldn't help wondering what was really going on with Brian.
Justin:
It took him almost an hour to get back to the Stephani's townhouse. After getting no answer when he rang the bell, he used the key Kate had given him and let himself in. The house was quiet and the air still smelled of the breakfast Richard had prepared. Justin closed the door softly and proceeded to head upstairs to their bedroom.
The door was open and the bed still disheveled. He could smell Brian in the warm room . . . that familiar, musky scent of his lover's semen. He gathered Brian must have woke up with a hard-on and taken care of it while he was still in bed. Justin loved to watch Brian masturbate. He was so primal about it, so wanton. Watching him made for some serious fantasy material.
He spotted Brian's wallet on the night table, but he'd already known his lover was in the house somewhere. Brian wanted him to come back, even if he said otherwise. Justin knew he wouldn't have left with the others.
He put his stuff down and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower. It was a nice, sunny day but the air in NYC was filthy. He felt like he had a layer of sweaty crud on his skin and he wanted to get clean--just in case Brian felt like having sex. He smiled to himself at the thought. Of course Brian would feel like having sex.
After he showered Justin slipped into his gray sweats and padded out into the hall, tilting his head to listen to the house. Everything was quiet, but he could FEEL Brian there. Carefully, he walked around the second floor and tried the closed doors, finding the other three guest rooms neat but unoccupied.
Kate and Richard's room was a happy kind of mess with the unmade bed covered in clothes she had tried on that morning and discarded. Her light citrusy perfume floated in the room along with the more earthy scent of her husband's spicy aftershave. It was a nice combination--sort of like cinnamon and orange blossom.
Convinced Brian was not on the second floor, he trotted down the wide staircase to the living room. The house was even quieter down there but he looked through the rooms anyway. Finding the living room and den empty, he walked through the bright dining room and into the kitchen. Beyond that was a laundry nook and something about it caught his attention. A shaft of sunlight struck the floor right beside the dryer in a way that indicated the light was coming from overhead.
He walked into the small clean-smelling nook and looked up, smiling when he spotted a narrow staircase leading to the roof. Justin crept up the close but sturdy steps and emerged out into the warm afternoon again.
The roof garden was small but nicely arranged with a little stone fountain and some potted trees and flower boxes around. The main view was of Central Park and he stood on his tiptoes to see as much of it as he could over the brick railing.
Brian laid on his belly on a cushy lounge chair near the fountain, soaking up the sun. He had a white towel draped over his butt cheeks but Justin knew he was naked under it. Walking across the warm concrete roof, he stood over his prone lover and blocked the light over his face.
Brian squinted up at him irritably. "If I get any streaks in my tan I'm going to spank your little ass red."
Justin chuckled, then he reached for the edge of the towel and deftly whipped it off Brian's backside. "Ooh," he said appreciatively. "Can I kiss that, daddy?"
"Fuck you," Brian snarled. He hated it when Justin called him `daddy'--which is why it was so much fun to do.
Looking up at the buildings surrounding the Stephani's townhouse, Justin determined that most of them were residential. All of them had windows facing the roof garden and he wondered just how many of the occupants were home early that Friday afternoon.
"Are you going to make me expose myself alone?" Brian said.
Justin looked down at him and lifted his eyebrows inquisitively. "Do you think anyone's home?"
"Why do you think I had the towel over me in the first place?"
Smirking, Justin said "what, are you afraid a huge zoom-lens photo of your ass is going to show up on ebay tomorrow?"
Brian laughed genuinely and rolled over onto his side. "It could happen. I've fucked a lot of guys who live in this town. Some of them would pay good money for a keepsake."
Dropping the towel back on the lounge beside Brian's naked tummy, Justin wiggled out of his sweats. He crawled onto the cushion beside his lover very carefully, not sure if the chair could support both their weight.
Brian scooted over to make room for him, then he gave Justin a kiss on the lips. "I told you not to come back," he said.
"No, you didn't." Justin settled into the cushion and parted his lips over Brian's, sliding his tongue into that warm wetness there. They kissed each other softly, exploring naked skin with curious, eager fingertips. Their cocks warmed and swelled against each other, pressing into the other's belly with gentle urgency.
Justin sighed as his body grew more and more sensitive with arousal. The sun seemed to caress him with warmth all over and he loved the way it made Brian's skin feel. His lover hadn't shaved yet that day and his light brown stubble was soft and tickly. Justin wrapped his legs around Brian's hips and pulled him on top of him, moaning softly as their erections made contact.
"Wait . . ." Brian said, panting slightly. "Did you bring any supplies up with you?"
He shook his head. Brian moved to stand up but Justin grabbed his arm.
"No," he pleaded. "Don't go . . . we can use spit . . ." He pulled Brian into a kiss and gently gnawed his full bottom lip.
"I'm not fucking you without a condom," Brian murmured into the wet press of their mouths.
"Are you still fucking other guys?" Justin asked, his heart thudding as he waited for the answer.
Brian pulled away from him and stood up, walking naked over to the stairs that lead down into the laundry room.
"Brian?"
"I'm going for a condom," he stated, turning back for a moment. His beautiful cock reached up his belly and he touched it gently, almost unconsciously.
"I know . . . but . . . are you just gonna ignore my question?"
His brow furrowed and he said "Justin, when would I have time to do anyone else? You're at my house every night. We've hardly gone out to the bars since the . . . incident."
Justin swallowed. "You invite me to come over every night," he said in a small voice.
"I KNOW."
Sighing, he tried to put together the clues in the conversation they were having. Talking to Brian about emotional stuff reminded him of the card game Concentration. The trick was to remember where you last saw the card you were trying to match. "So, you're saying you're not fucking anyone else, right?"
Brian just stood there, his hand slowly caressing his cock. The gesture was oddly defiant.
Justin went on. "Then . . . why do we need a condom?"
"Because I don't know what YOU'VE been doing," Brian replied coolly. "And I'm not taking any risks."
"Are you fucking kidding?" Justin snapped. "You honestly think I've been doing other guys?"
"I don't know what to think."
"What the hell do you mean?!"
Brian let go of his gorgeous erection and ran his fingers through his newly cut hair. He frowned and seemed to be thinking about his next words very carefully.
"I thought we were--" Justin began but Brian cut him off.
"You're the one that said we were `just hanging out'," he said in a snipped, controlled voice. "I thought we were doing something much more than that, but apparently I was wrong."
Justin gaped at him, completely shocked. Now THAT was a brand new card in the game, one he had definitely never seen.
Brian sighed and went down the stairs, leaving Justin sitting there naked in the warm sunshine feeling like someone had just dropped a mini-van on his chest.
Brian:
He sat on the bed in Kate's guest room thinking about what he'd just said up on the roof. Once again, he had surprised himself with the depth and quality of his own feelings. When Justin had told him about the conversation he'd had with his mother regarding the status of their relationship, Brian hadn't expected to feel so possessive. After all, he'd spent the majority of his acquaintance with Justin Taylor trying to get the kid to give him some space. True, Brian had always wanted him around, just not too terribly close.
Sitting there in the warm, quiet room he walked a condom packet over and under his fingers unconsciously. He learned that dexterous maneuver with a coin when he was a boy, but a flat square object worked much easier. It was especially good for impressing tricks in a bar. Brian's mind went over and over the conversation he'd just had with his young lover, weighing each thing said and heard, looking for loopholes and flaws in reasoning. He was so lost in thought, he hadn't heard Justin walking in the hallway outside the bedroom.
"Are you coming back up?" the boy said, leaning inside the doorway. He must have left his sweats up on the roof because he stood there naked, his thick young cock full and heavy against his thigh. Since the bashing incident whenever Brian looked at Justin's body his eye always fell on the long, thin scar above Justin's left ribs. The paramedics had to cut him open there to insert a suction device. His lung had collapsed and he nearly drowned in his own fluids on the way to the hospital.
Justin could obviously feel the direction of Brian's focus. He reached for the scarred place and covered it with his hand, attempting to regain Brian's attention. Grinning seductively, he said "I'd rather you stared at my dick. I'm not the least bit self-conscious about that."
"I'm not trying to make you feel self-conscious," Brian said softly. He looked down only just then realizing he was still walking the condom across his fingers.
"Brian, we don't have to talk about it now," Justin said. "I mean . . . to tell you the truth . . . I'm not . . . ready to go there. The whole relationship topic is really heavy."
Brian looked at him closely, trying to muster a smile but not succeeding. "I didn't intend . . . that just sort of slipped out."
Justin regarded him with sweet patience. "I know. And you know I only said that to my mom because I thought that's what you wanted me to tell her. I thought that's what you wanted me to THINK."
Brian looked down, watching the condom packet tracking along his fingers. "You're not, are you?" he said. "Fucking anyone else?"
After a long moment, Justin said "of course not. Brian . . . I love you, remember? I jerk off thinking about you. I can't even cheat on you in my fantasies. Okay, well there was that one time . . . a Ricky Martin incident that we don't need to go into. It's embarrassing."
Shaking his head, Brian laughed softly. "I never said you couldn't do anyone else.."
"I know," Justin said and then he held his hand up in a halting gesture. "Like I said, this subject is too intense for a sunny afternoon when we're alone and naked. So, are we gonna do it upstairs where everyone can see us or are you over that idea already?"
Brian smirked. "You like that plan, don't you?"
The blonde shrugged but he was smiling impishly.
Standing up, he walked over to the doorway and slipped passed the boy making sure to rub as much of his body against Justin's as possible. He caught the young man's hand in his and led him toward the stairs.
"Come on, you little exhibitionist. Let's show the neighbors how two guys fuck on a lounge chair." Brian gave the boy a playful wink.
As they passed through the living room on their way to the roof stairs, Brian heard the faint but distinctive ring of their cricket chirping. The sound made him smile.
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